SIS

The Role of the Hydrologist

Drew Guswa, professor of engineering and director of the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability
Did you know that half of the water used in the United States goes to cooling power plants? And that only five percent goes to domestic consumption? Drew Guswa, professor of engineering and director of the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability talks about the role of the hydrologist in ensuring a reliable and safe supply of water for communities and nations around the world. Part of the Scholars in Studio video series

Searching for Safer Anesthesia

Adam Hall, Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Neuroscience & Biochemistry Programs
As a postdoctoral researcher at Imperial College in London, England, Adam Hall was at the forefront of a major breakthrough in our understanding of how general anesthesia affects the processes of the brain. At Smith, in collaboration with faculty colleagues and students, his lab is exploring the therapeutic potential of novel anesthetic drugs that may prove to be as effective as those commonly used, with fewer dangerous side effects. Part of the Scholars in Studio video series

Literary Landscapes

AnnLeone, Professor of French Studies
Ann Leone examines how writers have used landscapes to aid in the telling of stories throughout literature, offering a "voice" that can subvert or complement what readers learn from other characters. Through this lens we see how the gardens of Versailles play a powerful role in French novels and how Capability Brown adds to the drama of Jane Austen. Thus readers can discover new meanings that they may not have unearthed otherwise.

The Art of Seeing

John Gibson, senior lecturer, art department
John Gibson teaches a brief lesson on seeing, thinking and drawing. He moves from how we perceive differences among objects toward a strategy of recognizing commonalities. He illustrates this new way of seeing with an analysis of Table, Guitar and Bottle, by Pablo Picasso, which is in the permanent collection of the Smith College Museum of Art.

Becoming a College Woman

Susan Van Dyne, Professor of the Study of Women and Gender
Director of the Archives Concentration
Studying archival photographs from the early days of Smith College, Susan Van Dyne traces the changing styles, attitudes and modes of dress of Smith students, who defied Victorian-era convention to express themselves through academics, athletics and dramatics. These self-consciously crafted and carefully curated images allow us to witness the emergence of modern womanhood.

Engineering Social Justice

Donna Riley, Associate Professor of Engineering
Traditionally, engineers have been trained to be “value neutral,” focusing on solving the problem at hand without always considering the social and moral consequences of their work. Donna Riley argues that, with a shift in priorities to emphasize helping people over earning profits, engineers can strive to achieve not only efficient solutions but a more just society as well.

Minding the Achievement Gap

Sam Intrator, Professor of Education and Child Study
It’s widely accepted that higher education leads to better life outcomes, yet college remains an unfulfilled hope for many young Americans. At the same time, the U.S. is falling behind much of the developed world in measures of academic achievement. Sam Intrator considers the merits of three different approaches to narrowing the achievement gap to the benefit of individuals and society.

Speaking Out On Quiet

Kevin Quashie, Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies
Kevin Quashie takes a closer look at the iconic image from the 1960s of American sprinters Tommie Smith and Juan Carlos raising their fists in protest on the medal podium at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Their display, Quashie argues, was more than an angry act of defiance; it was a quiet moment of personal revolution.Part of the Scholars in Studio video series

Environmental Refugees

Greg White, Professor of Government and Faculty Director of the Global Studies Center
Among the concerns about human-caused climate change is the specter of tens of millions of so-called environmental refugees spreading north into Western Europe and North America. Greg White argues that the estimates of potential environmental refugees are both greatly exaggerated and politically motivated.

Reconstructing the Mugamma

Donna Divine, Morningstar Family Professor in the field of Jewish Studies and Professor of Government
One man’s protest quickly became a movement that toppled governments in Tunisia and Egypt, led to revolution in Libya, and incited uprisings against regimes throughout the Middle East. From Tahrir Square to Tripoli, the Arab Spring has gripped the attention of the world. Will these events lead to real democratic reforms in the region, or will the familiar cycle of oppression and unrest continue? Donna Divine considers the possibilities.